Miroku Meets an Old Friend
by Demonwind
Summary: Miroku meets an old friend traveling with the Inu- yasha gang.
1. Prologue, Miroku Meets an Old Friend

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Prologue

This story first takes place when Miroku was a young boy, right after he's father had past away. And when Mushin wasn't a drunkard old monk. Then it's takes place when he is traveling with the Inu-yasha gang.

Miroku Meets an Old Friend 

By Demonwind_wing

"The wind-tunnel has appear on your hand Miroku," said Miroku's now foster father, Mushin. "I hope that the curse will be lifted soon. Then your life will be spared. Now dry your tears, it was not you fault that you father was consumed by the wind- tunnel in his hand."

"This is all that demon Naraku fault, not my own." Cried Miroku trying not to let tears fall from his eyes. With that he ran into the forest, away from the Buddhist temple that was in the care of he's now late father. He did not care where in the forest he cried as long as it was away from the peering eyes of others. When he finally stop, he was by a pond that he had visited with his father many time before. 

As he sat by the pond, on a rock, the memories of his father ran through his mind like lighting in the sky. He could not believe that his father was gone. With that last thought he cried his eyes out. Then, he heard movement in the forest behind him. He jump up and was pose to removed the prayer beads that cover the wind- tunnel in his hand. Thoughts ran through his mind on what to do. In a shaky voice he said, " whoever you are you better show yourself or I'll stuck you into my wind- tunnel!"

At what came out of the bushes surprise him. It was a girl. A girl that was wearing an outfit like that of a priestess, but in lavender and white instead of red and white. She had beautiful black hair that came down almost touching her shoulders, and with soft pale skin that take in light and gives it back even more radiantly. "Um, hello. What are you doing out here?" She asked in a voice that was like the angels of heaven (he's a Buddhist, I know).

Miroku was speechless, all thought had vanish on the appearances of the young girl. 'Speak will you!' Demanded his mind. But with all his might, he could not even uttered a sound. She was the most beautiful girl, in his opinion, he had ever laid eyes upon.

The girl walk up to the pond and grab a cup shape rock and dunk it in the water and then remove the rock from the water. She then walk up to Miroku and dump the water on his head. That wake up Miroku from his gaze on the girl. "I'm sorry that I had to dump water on you head. But you wouldn't stop looking at me." She replied politely.

Miroku, now talking, bluntly said, "where did you come from!" As that came out he cover his mouth. He couldn't believe his first words were so blunt to such a pretty girl.

All the girl did was giggle.

'She must be familiar to such remarks,' Miroku thought.

Now that the girl was up close he notice that the girl's eye color was that of pure amethyst. He had never seen so enchanting eyes. But then he notice the slit of her pupils. She was a demon! At the sight of that he move back. 

"Demon!" Miroku cried in shock.

The girl on the other hand was puzzle. "oh, you must mean my eyes. Actually I'm a half demon. Well, really 1/8 demon. The rest though, is totally human." at those words Miroku clam down, enough to talk normally that is. "My name is Natsume, what's yours?" she finish.

"My name is Miroku," he said, "what are you doing here?"

"I asked first. It not nice to asked the same question without answering it first." Natsume replied.

"Right, I just came out here to think, that all, I didn't come out to do anything else. Now what about you?"

"To be honest, I'm lost. I was hoping that you can help me to find the road or a place I can stay at."

"Sure you can stay at my fath…" he trail off on the word father.

Natsume look at him and saw that tears were about to weal up in his eyes.

But Miroku did not want to seam like a wimp in front of this girl. But he made himself go on, "you can stay at my foster father's temple." With that he lead Natsume to the temple.

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~At the Temple~

Mushin was sweeping the temple when Miroku return. "Ah, Miroku you have return. Are you okay now?" He said, then he notice that Miroku was not alone. Miroku was accompany by a lovely young girl. "And who do we have here?"

The girl introduce herself, " My name is Natsume. And I was wondering if I could spend the night at this temple. May I?"

"Of course you may. You are such a polite young lady. But I must asked way you are traveling all alone?" Mushin asked as politely as her.

As he had said that an emotion cross the girl slit amethyst gaze. Was Mushin correct, was the emotion sorrow?

"Sorry I had asked, maybe you can tell us that when you are ready. I really think that you should stay for a while."

Natsume was relived that the her story would not come out, or at least for now.

"Mushin when do you think we should get a grave stone for father's grave?" Miroku asked.

"We'll go do that now. If you don't mind Natsume?" Mushin asked.

"Not at all, if you like I wish to come along and help, if I may?"

"Of course you may come along." Miroku answer himself.

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~ Miroku's Father Funeral~

As the night time sky set in Mushin said the prayer to honor Miroku's father as Miroku and Natsume stand beside him…

To be continue 


	2. Chapter One, Miroku Meets an Old Friend

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Miroku Meets an Old Friend 

Chapter One

By Demonwind_wing 

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~Miroku's temple~

As the days went by Natsume and Miroku became close friends. And soon the two became like family as Mushin watch over them. Natsume lost her shyness that made her so polite and Miroku, growing to be a man, became more of a pervert. She had to hit him on the head to make him leave the pretty girls alone (Miroku even try his will you bear my child on her once or twice, all she did was hit him on the head).

After 6 years of being together a man came by the temple. Mushin came up to the man and asked, "what may I do for you?"

"I am look for someone." The man replied. The man was very tall with long black hair tied up high.

As the man finish the sentence Miroku and Natsume return from getting water from the nearby river.

"Miroku it's you fault that you got wet. You shouldn't have been playing around (giggles). Will I ever be able to relied on you to help me ever again?" Natsume voice rang with the sound of a beautiful young lady.

"Oh come on. The riverbed was slippery, it's not my fault I fell in." Miroku turn to Mushin and saw that a man was looking at the two of then. Then Miroku notice that the man was looking at Natsume, not the both of them. Miroku felt cold water soak into sock that he had dry before coming back to the temple. He look back to see what has cause the wetness. Natsume was looking at the man and had drop the bucket of water she carried.

Natsume whisper, "Sanjuro…"

"Sanjuro?" Miroku repeated.

Mushin heard the man whisper, "Natsume…"

"How do you know Natsume?" Mushin asked.

"Maybe we should go inside." Natsume suggested.

"Okay. Shall we go in Mushin?" Miroku asked.

They all then went inside the temple. Miroku pull out mats for everyone to sit on around a low table. Everyone took a place to sit. Then Mushin said all of a sudden, "Miroku, will you please go get some tea."

"Huh, oh, of course." With that Miroku left to get some tea.

For minutes no one said a word. Then Natsume said, "Sanjuro, why are you here?" so suddenly that it made Sanjuro and Mushin jump up.

"I came looking for you of course, why else would I been here." The man name Sanjuro answer.

"You weren't supposed to look for me. You know that. You were going to be killed because of me." Natsume said with her hands clench in her lap. Tears were about to form in her eyes, but she keep them on Sanjuro. Then one by one tears fell from her eyes. Sanjuro look ashamed of making Natsume cry.

"Not to but in, but I think I should leave and let you two talk." Mushin said without being notice. He left. On the way out he found Miroku eavesdropping on the three of them and apparently did not notice that Mushin was standing right beside him.

Mushin tap Miroku on the shoulder. "AH! (huff, huff) What was that for? You old man you almost gave me a heartat… uh oh." Mushin grab Miroku by the ear.

"Your almost a man, you should act like one!" Mushin said as he pull Miroku away.

While inside the room Natsume and Sanjuro talk. "Look, I know why you left but that didn't matter. I'm your uncle and your only family. It's not you fault that the rest of your, our family had died." Sanjuro explain.

"They all died because I'm the stupid heir to some stupid throne. It's not fair. Why did they have to did!? Why?! Mother, Father, your wife and child who was only just born! It's not fair, it's not fair! (sob, sob, sob)"

"Your right it's not fair. You gone through to much tragedy for someone so young the time. And will the boy stop eavesdropping and the old monk!" Exclaimed Sanjuro.

Mushin and Miroku both fell through the doorway as Sanjuro open it. 

"I guess you heard everything." Natsume said quietly.

"Yes we did. We're sorry to have to eavesdrop, but we could not have help ourselves." Miroku said with all the dignity he had left after being caught. Mushin on the other hand was blushing furiously.

"I guess I have to leave now that you found out" Natsume said as she was getting up from her sit.

"What! Why? Now?" Was all Miroku could say.

"Because, you now know why I left. You'll get killed very much the same way as my family. I don't want that to happen to you after all you done for me. If you know where I am then you would be sought after for the whereabouts of me and then killed because of that." With those last word she left.

Sanjuro and Miroku both chase after her. But when they where outside the temple she was nowhere in sight.

"She must have use her demon powers to disappear. She did the same thing to me long ago. (sigh). I best go look for her again," Sanjuro said as he walk down the path that lead to the road. Miroku on the other hand had other, idea he ran to catch up to him as Mushin came up to the temple steps.

Mushin was muttering to himself. "I can believe that something so cruel could have happen to a girl so young."

"You said it you old monk," Miroku said to himself. "Why don't well look for her together?" He directed to Sanjuro.

"So it's time for you to go on you journey Miroku?" Mushin asked of Miroku.

"I think that would be nice, but what do you mean by time for you to go on your journey?" Sanjuro asked of but Mushin and Miroku.

As that subject came up, the two monks took Sanjuro inside an explain everything. About Naraku and how they meet Natsume. As the finale explanation was finish Sanjuro said, "yes it would be wise to travel together." With that Miroku got ready to leave the temple and travel the world in search of Naraku and Natsume.

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~Years Later~

One day the two was separated on their travel. Sanjuro left to search more dangerous areas while Miroku look in more desolate place. They decided to spilt up to cover more ground. They never saw each other again. And one day Miroku meet up with Inu- yasha, Kogome and Shippo, then soon Sango meet up with the four of them.

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~As the Days Past by~

They search together for the shinko shards that Kogome could find and purify with her own powers. One day the gang stop in a town to rest for the night and Miroku pull his old 'there is a dark cloud over the place" bit to get free lodging for the night.(And it works every time [sigh])

That night for no apparent reason Miroku dreamt of Natsume. He woke up with a feeling that he might find her someday, but he had no idea why.

"Why now?" He asked himself. No one else heard him because they were all sleeping like logs. He got up and went outside to get some air. Inu-yasha was up the moment the monk open the door. [Doggie got sensitive ears]. He never did trust Miroku to go out alone after he left the gang when his wind- tunnel sides got cut.

Inu- yasha found Miroku outside standing in the wind. "Hey Miroku what are you doing out here?"

"Wha! Oh, it's you Inu- yasha. I'm just remembering something, that's all (sigh)." Miroku answer.

"Oh, what so?"

"Just why I started to travel."

"That's and easy question. Your traveling to get revenge on Naraku, like the rest of us. Now if you done let's go back to sleep. If the girls find us gone they're not going to lets this down for a long time."

"Do you think that is the only reason Inu- yasha?" Miroku said suddenly angry.

"Man, what is with you Miroku, that's not like you."

"Yes your right, let's go." Miroku agreed.

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~Next Day~

They began the day as usual. But today they found another village that was terrorized by a demon with a shinko shard. 

"Another demon on a rampage. Lets hurry and take care of this demon." Inu- yasha proclaim as he crack his knuckles. "Kogome, where is the shard?"

"In it's head Inu- yasha," Kogome answer.

"Come' on Miroku let's take it down, you in Sango?" Inu-yasha said.

"Right," both Sango and Miroku chorus.

Inu- yasha, Sango and Miroku all came in to take the demon out and get the shard. Both Inu- yasha and Sango, with Kirara by her side. Miroku was about to move in but at that moment Kogome shouted, "behind you Miroku!"…

To be continue 


	3. Chapter Two, Miroku Meets an Old Friend

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Miroku Meets an Old Friend 

Chapter Two

By Demonwind_wing 

Miroku was to slow to look behind him. But for some reason he was not hit by what Kogome was shouting about. He look around himself to found he was out of harms way. "What happen?" he asked to himself. Inu- yasha and Sango was still fighting the demon a little bit away from where he now stand. 

Kogome, with Shippo behind her, came running to him. She stop a foot away and asked in a voice with panted breath, "Miroku are you okay?"

"Yeah, but what happen to me?"

"One second you were about to get hit in to back by that demon's spike tail. Then the next second you were gone!" Shippo quip in. "What happen?"

"I can explain everything," said a soft voice from behind them. Miroku froze at the sound of that voice, it sounded so familiar. Someone came out of the trees behind them. To Kogome and Shippo the young lady was new to them. They look at Miroku to only find him starring at the newcomer. "Miroku will you stop starring at me. It's not like the first time you seen me come up out of no where."

Kogome then hit Miroku on the head to get him to speak. "Natsume, you're here! What are you doing here?!" Was all Miroku could say. As he had finish saying that Sango and Inu- yasha came up.

"Man, Miroku what are you doing. We were in the middle of a fight and you just left, was is with you!" Inu- yasha yelled in Miroku's ear.

"Can you yell any louder Inu- yasha?" Sango asked, "anyway we have a newcomer."

"Huh, what? Who…," His voice trail off. "Wow, what a cute girl." (That was a mistake!)

"SIT!!!!!!!!" Kogome yelled, and then down Inu- yasha went. (ouch!) "Why you, you, dog!" Kogome is now really angry! (Can you blame her. I would be too**.) Can you believe that Inu- yasha?

"Hey look, if you want an explanation, my place is not far," Natsume said before Kogome could cry from anger.

"Sure, let's go before it rains," Sango said as everyone looks to the sky to see dark clouds gathering. They all follow Natsume.

As they walk through the forest Sango and Kogome asked Miroku as Inu- yasha pretends not to listen, "how do you know her?"

"We meet as kids just after my father had died. I remember all the fun we had by to river that was close by. Fishing and finding herb. She was also a very good cook at such a young age. We were the best of friends." Inu- yasha look back just in time to see Miroku gaze. It was the same gaze as the night before, when he went out to think.

Inu- yasha turn his eyes forward to find that Natsume had stop and her face was up close to his. He jump back with fright. "What are you doing girl?! You almost made my heart stop!"

All she did was smile and said, "it's not polite to eavesdrop." Everyone stop in front of a two room hut with a small garden and well. "You like? I bought it from an old women that went to live with her grandchildren."

"Wow, it's so nice!" Shippo said with joy with Kirara yip of approval.

"Well are you all looking for an invite or are you coming in?" Natsume asked.

They all went in, "what do you use all this space for?" Sango asked with the air of suspecting.

"I use to other room for my ink art and pots I made. I sell them in the village not far from here. And I don't believe that I had introduce myself to your friends Miroku" she answer. "My name is Natsume, it a honor to meet you all."

"Growl-."

"Huh? What was that?" Natsume asked with a frown. 

"Our stomachs, that's what," Shippo replied as he sank to the floor with another growl from his stomach

Natsume put a hand over her mouth, "(giggles) I'll get lunch ready, okay?" 

As she began to leave to get lunch Miroku said, "let me help you."

Natsume turn around and said with a warm smile, "that's okay Miroku, you don't have to help me. Why don't all you friends make yourselves at home and rest." With that she left to get lunch ready. The rest all turn to look at Miroku to find that he was blushing.

"Ah… Miroku are you blushing?" Inu- yasha asked with surprise. The rest all just stare, they have never seen Miroku blush before.

"Miroku… do you like her?" Sango asked with a slight giggle herself .

"What me blushing!? Why would I blush, and why would I like her? She's like a sister to me!" (which was a lie) Miroku said in astonishment. He tried to sit down somewhere on the floor only to find himself falling on his back.

"I take that as a yes," Sango laugh as she help Miroku up. Now Miroku was blushing even more furiously. They all settle down while the girls asked Miroku about this Natsume. He answer as many answer as he could without reveling any of her sad past. 

Very soon after Natsume came back with trays full of food.

"Wow, it smells so good," Shippo said as he jumps up a down for a better view of the trays. Natsume past out all of the trays.

"Well then if you are all hungry let's eat." Natsume said after pasting out the trays.

Talk began to fill the are, mostly about Natsume and Miroku. Then Inu- yasha made the mistake of saying, "Hey Natsume why did you leave the temple you and Miroku lived at?"

Miroku was shaking his head behind Natsume vision as Natsume spear one of her radish out of the her soup and frown. "That is none of your business, and a suggest that you don't asked again." She answer with cold eyes full of sadness. Inu- yasha felt like being push back by that sadness in her eyes. He felt like a bully for asking but he didn't know why. And was that a demon like force pushing him back? She doesn't have the scent of a demon.

"Why don't we change the subject?" Miroku interjected before she could raised all chaos with her demon half. The silent that follow was only broken by the soft patter of the rain that will soon roar. The tension in the room disperse and the happy look in Natsume eyes return. While Inu- yasha remained quiet the others began to talk once more.

The hours went by as the girls talk and the so called men do all the work. (May I add that Miroku volunteer them).

"Miroku how did you get us into this?" Inu- yasha grumble.

Miroku gave him an innocent look, "why whatever do you mean." It seem to Inu- yasha that Miroku likes to help Natsume.

The day turn into night and they all had supper. They were all sleepy soon after supper and everyone went to sleep. During the night Natsume woke as the rain began to clear. She got up and went outside to smell the after rain night time air. Miroku heard her leave and got up as quietly as possible and followed.

"What are you doing out here Miroku?" Natsume asked him as he came out without looking in his direction. Miroku was sure that he didn't make a sound, so how did she know he was here?

"You got me red handed, but how did you know it was me?"

"When one part of the body is immobile to others become stronger in place of that one. In other words I had my eyes close so my hearing becomes better." She turn around and open her eyes. Her smile again appear with warmth that melted his heart.

Then out of now where she said as her eyes became cold, "who ever you are, come out now."

Without warning something like a sleep dart flew past barely missing Natsume by near millimeters. "Natsume are you okay?" Miroku asked with worry in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay, but whoever that was is getting away! Hurry up or we'll lose him!" As that was said Miroku and Natsume gave chase. Dodging trees, bushes and water puddles they ran presciently on. Natsume was not about to give up so easily when someone was going to put her lights out, and Miroku was not about to let her go off alone.

When they had stop they where by a small lake Miroku almost fell down for lack of air. "Wh- where a- are w- we?" Miroku asked as he sat down on a nearby rock.

"Your guess is as good as my." She said flatly with no sign of exhaustion, "though this place seems familiar to me." She turn around to look at Miroku and asked, "are you okay? All that running isn't to much for you, was it?"

Miroku look up in surprise, "huh! Oh, oh I'm o-"

"Miroku move!" Natsume said without warning. She grab Miroku by the are and pull him towards her a quickly as she could. Miroku landed right on top of her in an way that you do not want other to see you in. Right where Miroku was sitting was a melted rock. 

'Acid,' Miroku thought.

"Miroku are you alright! That could have be you! Maybe you shouldn't have come. You should go back to the others." Natsume asked as worry as Miroku was before. Miroku got off of Natsume and help her up. As Natsume was getting her footing she was pull away be something as Miroku try to grab her hand. 

But before he could do anything a demon came out of the woods behind him and bit his arm that he was trying to reach Natsume with. Venom sank in to his arm with painful agony. He past out for all the pain. The last words he heard was Natsume saying, "MIROKU, NO MIROKU, WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP MIROKU!" Then all went blank

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Natsume shook Miroku with all she had to wake he up as the demon retreated to the forest. As Miroku fell into deep sleep from all the venom a man came out from the forest behind her.

"Oh, he won't wake up unless you give him the give hive a fusion of these." The man said holding up some plants.

"Okay, what do you want from me? I'll do anything, just let no harm come to him. Please!" Natsume plead. Miroku was the only one ,besides her uncle Sanjuro, that meant everything to her. If he died she could not live with herself.

The man smile with an evil look in his eyes, "if I'm not mistaken, you are the last of a royal demon family line, true that your demon blood has mingle with human blood. But nether-the-less you are the hime( princess) Natsume. Now if you come along to the castle he'll live."

Natsume's eyes widen, "you- you…"

"Now, now if you don't choose soon he'll died rather quickly." His smile turn into grin.

"Fine. What do I do." She said looking away from the man to Miroku. Natsume carefully move hair strands of hair from Miroku's face.

"Just drink this," he held out a bowl of some red liquid for her to drink. She took it and dump the bowl's substance into her mouth. Everything began to grow dark as she fell into a deep sleep.

"Hmm, that was to easy," he then look at Miroku, "there might still be a use to him, pick them up and bring them to the castle." He told the demon that bit Miroku earlier as it came out of the forest again. It did so, then off they went.

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"Where in the world are they" Inu- yasha asked himself as he follow Natsume and Miroku scent. 

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Warning chapter three may contain content that adult may not find suitable for young children. Teens are okay! 


	4. Chapter Three, Miroku Meets an Old Frien...

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Warning this chapter may contain content that adult may not find suitable for young children. Teens are okay! 

Miroku Meets an Old Friend 

Chapter Three

By Demonwind_wing 

**~Near Natsume's home~**

"Where did they go," Inu- yasha said as he sniff at the ground in search of Miroku and Natsume. 

As the rest of the Inu- yasha gang follow Kogome asked, "Inu- yasha why did you have to wake us up so early, the sun is barely up. Yawn--," Shippo nodded in agreement half asleep. "Can't we rest? I'm sure that they're okay." Plead Kogome.

Inu- yasha was a little ahead of the others. "Fine we'll stop for a little bit." But just then the wind pick up. The scent of blood fill his nose, Miroku's blood. The half demon left the others to find the where the scent was coming from. The others follow as fast as the could, all wondering why he had left so quickly.

When they had caught up with him he was standing beside a small pool of blood. "Uh, Inu-yasha, who's blood is that?" Kogome asked as she inch towards him.

"It's Miroku's blood, I'm sure!" But the scent ends here. There's no trace of him, only his blood. Let me try to pick up his trail. And Kogome will you let go of my arm." Kogome was clinging to Inu- yasha's arm. She let go. Shippo then jump onto Kogome shoulder as Sango walk to them.

They all waited as Inu- yasha began to sniff the ground for a trace, any trace of Miroku or Natsume. Inu- yasha then pick up a small scent of the both of them plus the scent of two others, both demon! He follow the scent to the banks of the lake the began in the forest and move towards the mountains, and into a cursed valley where no one had gone to and come back.

"Well are we going to follow Inu- yasha?" Sango said as she went behind a tree to change into her exterminator.

Inu- yasha then yelled in frustration, "and how do you think we're going to cross the lake!"

"Inu- yasha, you don't have to yell," Shippo said laying on the ground with swirling eyes. Apparently Inu- yasha had yelled in his fox ears. 

'Poor Shippo,' thought Kogome as she pick him up.

"Maybe if you had any brains Inu- yasha then you wouldn't had yelled. Why don't we use Kirara. What do you said Kirara?" Sango talk as she came out from behind the tree dress for combat. Kirara game a little yip of approval. She had been completely forgotten till now.

Inu- yasha, now looking like a fool for not thinking of it first said trying the regain his dignity, "fine, if you want to do it that way." Kirara, getting the okay transform into her full form. She then trudge into the water with the rest on her back, she was a custom to the weight on her back. 

As they continue through the water a fog began to overcome the lake. "Inu- yasha what's that? Is that a boat?" Everyone look at the direction that Kogome was pointing at. They all saw a boat coming through the water.

Just then someone yelled in the dense fog that shrouded the lake, "hello out there." It was a man's voice that rang out to them. The small boat came up to them and stop. The man, it seem from the graying hair around temples, was a little over middle age. He was really tall and had long black hair tied up in a high pony tail. (Guess who it is! It's Sanjuro!) "Hey I was wondering if you can by chance help me find my niece." He said with good nature.

"Sure we'll help if we can," Kogome said with good nature herself. She could never help herself to help another out.

"What! If you hadn't notice, we're trying to find Miroku and Natsume." Inu- yasha said exasperated.

"Did you just said Natsume AND Miroku. They're together? Where are they?" Said the strange man as his eyes lit with joy at finding the two together once more.

"Wait, you know Natsume and Miroku?" Sango asked with full attention.

"Yes, Natsume is my niece, and Miroku is a friend of mine."

"Well if fate could 'a been kinder, they're missing and we just found a small pool of Miroku's blood." Inu-yasha said rudely from impatience. 

"Don't mind him, he's always like that sir." Kogome intervened. 

"Hey, what is your name anyways?" Shippo then but in.

The man was startle by the sudden change of subject that he almost fell from the boat, "HUH? Oh yes my name, my name is Sanjuro."

Inu-yasha then renter the conversation saying, "well, if you don't mine, can we hurry up and find the two of them. And I prefer that we find them both alive, which they might not be right now."

"Don't worry about them," everyone look at Sanjuro with the questioning look on their faces. "I guess you guys want an explanation?" They all nodded. Sanjuro then continue saying, "They won't kill them," Inu-yasha had a face on the said, 'how can you be sure?" Seeing the question on Inu- yasha face, Sanjuro answer, "they need Natsume alive so that she can raise the Army of Shadows. She's the only one that can do it."

Kogome blunted, "then why do they need Miroku?"

"My guess is to hold him hostage so that Natsume will listen to whoever that took them." Sango supplied the answer. All Sanjuro did was nodded with a grim look in his eyes.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go find them and kick whoever's butt that took them." Shippo said cutting the disheartening aura that lace the air. They all nodded with approval and headed through the water and deep into the lake as Sanjuro told the whole story.

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~Castle Of Shadows~ (where Miroku and Natsume are)

Miroku awoke with a throbbing arm. He tried to sit up, but find that he was weighted down by some one. He felt the bear, soft, warm skin of the person that weighted him down. One eye at a time he open, he was in a well furnish room and was lying in a silk futon. But what surprise him the most was Natsume and himself were in the same futon, and both of them had nothing on! (Note here: Miroku does have his prayer bead and glove on. Just wanted you to know.) He felt ashamed of himself for tricking her into the same futon as him. (That should tell you how much he likes her. Hee hee ;) 'I don't know if she even likes me,' he thought with fury at himself. 'Wait a sec! I don't even remember tricking her at all. The only thing I remember is…,', "the demon!" he then said out loud.

"Snicker, snicker," Someone was snickering from Miroku left, behind the sliding paper doors. "Finally awake are you?" The man said as another person who looks like a servant put down his burden. 

Miroku then realized what the other man was. "You're a demon! What do you want with the two of us and why are we, um, like this." Miroku said with fury and hesitation at the same time.

The man then answer with a oily voice, "why? Why is because she is the last of the lord shadow demons that ruled over us. And she is the only one who can control the shadows beasts. When she bears a child we shall raise that child to listen to our words and take over everything, and with the shadow beast as our warriors under that child command." 

Now this really got under Miroku's skin, fury boil his blood, but he manage to said in a clam sounding voice, "how can you do such a thing. Using a child to such a degree when that child is not even born! And why use me to get that child?"

"The child must be born from parents that truly love each other. And the way she would give up her own freedom for you life means she does love you." This came as a surprise to Miroku. He had always like her even as far as to say he love her. But he never thought she would like him or love him. The man interrupt Miroku thought saying, "even if you have a cruse on your hand, it won't effect the child at all. There are a few good things about being a Void Shadow Demon." He and the other person left as Miroku clench his good fist in a tight ball.

He was about to slam his fits into the covers of the futon before he remember that Natsume was next to him. Until now he never realized how big her… Miroku shook his head to get the thought out of his head. 'She's my friend! Get a hold of yourself Miroku!' With that decided Miroku try to wake her up by shaking her shoulder. All she did was snuggle up close to him, which got a blush out of him. It's was useless, try as he might, she would not wake up. It was like she was put to sleep with a drug or something. (Which she was.) "Sigh--, oh well, she'll wake up soon." He look around the room once more. He then notice the burden the other person had brought. No one was around so he got up and open the door and found two trays of food and his own monk outfit and a red silk kimono with black flower print. He brought the items from outside the room and close the door. 

As he set the trays and the kimono on the floor next to Natsume she began to stir. Quickly he began to put on his own outfit. He did not want her to see him with nothing on, that was for sure. When Miroku was finish he sat beside Natsume. Natsume sat up with the covers clutch to her chest.

"Miro- Miroku? Wha- what hap-," she trail off, "Miroku what are you doing here, and why am I like this?"

"Listen Natsume, just clam down. I heard why we're here and why you, um, are like this." Miroku answer as he felt a blush creep up on his face. He explains everything that he heard from the demon.

When he had finish Natsume began to shed tears. Miroku did the only thing he could do. She cried in his arm as silently as she could, as tears began to wet his robe. He crying was so bad that Miroku did not hear what she was saying. "Huh?"

"It's my fault that you're in this mess. It's all my fault! I should have never been born!" She continue to cry as he hold her in his arms.

"It's not you fault. Don't say you should have never been born. With out you I would have died a long time ago." Memories of all the times Natsume had stop him from drowning in a river, the time she help him through the forest while demons where chasing them and other times she had help him through. The flow of tears began the thicken as she to remember all those memories also. "Now hurry up and get dress Natsume," he said as he move away to fetch the silk kimono for her. When he gave her the kimono he turn around. Natsume did trust Miroku not to look at her.

"Okay, you can turn around Miroku," He did as he was told. Miroku was speechless. She was splendid in the black and red kimono.

To be continue…


End file.
